Fast current breaker switch



Oct.

8, 1963 A. BRUNO FAST CURRENT BREAKER SWITCH Filed Jan. 1'7, 1961 United States Patent Ofiice 3,106,621 Patented Oct. 8, 1963 3,106,621 FAST CURRENT BREAKER SWITCH Angel Bruno, 1124 Ave. R. S. Pena, Buenos Aires, Argentina Filed Jan. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 83,193 13 Claims. (Cl. 200-67) This invention relates to a switch and more particularly it refers to a fast current breaker switch requiring only a minimum of operating movement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a switch the component parts of which are of simple structure and may be easily mounted in a switch casing, so that both the manufacturing cost as well as the labour cost is reduced to a minimum.

A further object is to provide a switch which comprises a circuit breaking lever which requires a minimum of movement to close or open the contact terminal, at the same time as the movement of the movable contact, in relationship to the required movement of the circuit breaking lever, is rather large, so that in comparison with similar known arrangements, the structural elements of which are of somewhat similar nature, a larger amount of power force may be handled.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in relationship with the description of a preferred embodiment which will hereinbel-ow follow in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective slew of the switch of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the switch when the contact terminals are in open position.

FIG. 3 is a similar view as FIG. 2, but showing the contact terminals in closed position.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the switch casing.

As may be seen in FIG. 1, the switch of the present invention comprises a switch casing 1 defining a single chamber 2 having a bottom including a central portion 3 and two end steps 4 and 5. The end step 4 comprises a stationary contact terminal 6 integral with a screw threaded blind metal bushing 7 which projects out of the base face 8 between a pair of plastic lugs 9 (see also FIG. 4).

The other end step is of slightly larger size and preferably located at a slightly higher level than said end step 4, with regard to said central portion 3. A hollow tubular screw threaded member 10 is embedded in said end step 5 passing therethrough and ending between a pair of lugs 11 projecting cut of a downwardly projecting step 12 of the switch casing 1.

The switch casing 1 further comprises a pair of diagonally oppositely arranged cars 13 and '14, each having a bore 15 and 16 with a top pit (only 15 is clearly visible in FIG. 2).

The switch casing 1 further comprises a parallelepipedic side opening 17 in the base of which there is a slot 18 arranged adjacent the downwardly projecting step 12.

A pair of bearing notches 19 is out out in the middle portions of the upper edges 1' of the side walls defining the chamber 2 for a purpose to be later explained.

The actual circuit breaker consists of a stamped copper or similar good conducting resilient metal plate 20 having a movable contact terminal 21 mounted on a base portion 22 Wherefrom three parallel legs 23, 24 and project. Outer legs 23 and 24 are of shorter length than central leg 25. Although the free end portions 23' and 24 are shown as upwardly bent, which is the actual position once the metal plate 20 is assembled with the rigid fulcrum plate 26, actually when these parts are disassembled the free end portions 23' and 24' are straight.

The central leg 25 ends in a tongue plate portion 27 having a pair of upstanding retainer ears 28 and a central bore 29. The tongue plate portion 27 is of larger width than said central leg 25. Between the tongue plate portion 27 and the free end portions 23' and 24' of the outer legs 23 and 24, the central leg 25 is provided with an upstanding ear 30 having a perforation 31.

A supplemental plate 32 having a length slightly larger than that of the tongue plate 27 likewise comprises a perforation 33.

The rigid fulcrum plate 26 comprises a screw threaded perforation 34 arranged in a base portion 35 having a pair of projecting arms 36, 37 which end in respective mouth portions 38, 39 adapted to receive the free end portions 23 and 24, respectively.

A circuit breaking lever 40 comprises in its lower portion :a recess 41 integral with a plate portion 42 having a blind perforation 43. A pair of oppositely arranged stud shafts of which only one is visible in FIG. 1 and identified with reference numeral 44 are likewise integral with the circuit breaking lever 40.

It may be added that the circuit breaking lever 49 comprises a pair of stops 56 and 57 adapted to alternatively enter in abutting contact with the upper edge 1, as respectively shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the front face 58' a conveniently colored depression 59 is provided so that when the switch is in the closed position as shown in FIG. 3 said colored depression 59 is raised and will therefore project out of the cover plate 60, whilst as shown in FIG. 2, when the switch is in open position, the colored depression 59 is below the cover plate 60 and therefore not visible, as will be later better understood.

For assembling the arrangement so far described, it is necessary in first instance to locate the free end portions 23' and 24 into the mouth portions 38 and 39, respectively, then slightly bend the outer legs 23 and 24 so that the upstanding retainer ears 28 may be fit over the rear face 35 cf the base portion 35, whereby the tongue plate 27 will be in face to face contact with said base portion 35. Thus it apparent that the sum of the length of the arms 36 and 37 plus the legs 23 and 24 is greater, than the length of the central leg 25 and tongue plate portion 27, whereby it will now be apparent, that it is always necessary that the legs 23 and 24 are curved and maintained under compression.

A screw 45 is then passed through the coaxial perforations 34 and 29 and thereafter the supplemental plate 32, by means of perforation 33, is mounted on the screw 45 and the assembly is then screwed into the hollow tubular screw threaded member 10, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, whereby the supplemental plate 32 presses onto the tongue plate 27 and adjacent portion of the central leg 25 thereby creating a tendency of upwardly urging the central leg 25 and more particularly the base 22, as will be later better understood.

The current breaking lever 40 is then mounted in the switch casing 1, so that the stud shafts 44 will be journalled in the notches 19. Thereafter the U-shaped linking member 46 is fit with one arm into the blind perforation 43 and with the other arm into the perforation 31 of the cperatin gear 30, which may be easily accomplished through the parallelepipedic side opening 17. Thereupon, a side closure member 47 having a downwardly projecting tongue 55 is mounted therewith into the slot 18 and parallelepipedic side opening 17.

The cross bar 48 integral with the outside face of the side closure member 47 and projecting beyond the latter, will assure that the side closure member 47 cannot enter into the chamber 2, and the upper tongue 49 of the closure member 47 will project beyond the upper edge 1 of the switch casing '1.

In order to avoid that said side closure member 47 and The supporting plate 50 comprises a pair of diagonally opposed embossed perforations 53 and 54 which are located on the pit of the bores 15 and 16 so that plate 50 is somewhat immobilized. A pair of screws (not shown) enable to connect the plate 59 to the bores 15 and 16 at the switch casing 1.

The perforations 62 of supporting plate 50 enable to link the switch once assembled, in the known manner to a switch box (not shown) and the perforations 61 enable to mount a cover plate 60 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) on the supporting plate 50, as is likewise known in the art.

To connect the switch to any circuit obviously one end (not shown) of the circuit will be connected by means of any suitable screw (not shown) to the hollow tubular screw threaded member between the lugs 11 and the other end (not shown) will be connected in a similar way between the lugs 9 to the metal bushing 7.

Outer legs 23 and 24 are always upwardly curved and in compression, while middle leg 25 is always in tension. When the switch is in the open position, as shown in FIG. 2., middle leg 25 is upwardly curved, and when the switch is in the closed position as shown in FIG. 3, middle leg 25 is downwardly curved. Therefore, when the switch moves from the open position to the closed position, the central leg 25 passes through a straight position where it is under maximum tension. As the switch moves from one position to the other position, it passes through a position where the compressive forces on the outer legs and the tension forces on the middle leg are at a maximum. This position is, therefore, an unstable position and the interacting compressive and tension forces tend to snap the switch away from this unstable position and to keep the switch in either its closed position wherein the movable contact 21 presses onto stationary contact 6 or the open position wherein the movable contact is moved away from stationary contact 6. Usually, the width of the central leg 25 is substantially equal to the sum of the width of the outer legs 23 and 24.

Upon swinging the current breaking lever 40 about its stud shafts 44 towards the open position, the U-shaped linking member 46 will pull on the upstanding operating car 30 and thereby passing the central leg 25' from its downwardly curved position as shown in FIG. 3, through the straight position, to its upwardly curved position with a 'very fast movement.

It will be understood that as soon as the central leg 25 has passed through the straight position where it is under the maximum tension, the upward pull of the U- shaped linking member 46 will be cooperated by the upwardly curved outer legs 23 and 24.

The length of the path of the movable contact is rather long, so that a good circuit interruption takes place.

Since the ear 30 is located almost at that end portion of the central arm which does not carry out any movement, it will be appreciated that the lever relationship between for instance the screw 45 and the car 30 on one hand, and the screw 45 and the movable contact terminal 21 on the other hand, is such that with a minimum movement of the U-shaped linking member 46 the movable contact terminal 21 can be operated, thereby reducing to a minimum the pivotal movement on the current breaking lever 40, which is required to open or close the switch.

Since the U-shaped linking member 46 is of the rigid type, by operating the current breaking lever 40' in opposite direction, the movable contact 21 is again pushed onto the fixed contact 6, where the upwardly curved outer legs 23 and 24 will cooperate in the downward movement of the movable contact 21 as soon as the central leg 25 has again passed the straight position in order to curve down the portion of the central leg adjacent to the base 22 and thereby press the movable contact 21 onto the fixed contact 6.

Of course, if it is desired, the supporting plate of the switch housing 50 may be of larger size and have several parallel aligned rectangular central openings of the type of opening 51, so that several switch casings 1 with their respective mechanisms may be mounted on a common supporting plate to achieve a multiple switch arrangement.

I claim:

1. A fast current breaker switch, comprising a casing having a base portion including a central portion and a pair of oppositely arranged end steps of different height with regard to said central portion, said end step of smaller height with regard to said central portion supporting a fixed contact, a resilient good electricity conductive metal plate having a base portion, a pair of outer legs projecting from said base portion and each having a free end portion, a central leg likewise projecting from said base portion substantially parallel to said pair of outer legs, a movable contact terminal mounted on said base portion and facing said fixed contact, a rigid fulcrum plate comprising a base portion including a rear face, and a pair of arms parallely projecting from said base portion and each ending in a mouth portion, said free end portions of said outer legs being fulcrumed in said mouth portions, said base portion of said fulcrum plate defining a perforation, said central leg ending in a tongue plate portion defining a perforation coaxial with said perforation of said fulcrum plate, a pair of upstanding retainer ears integral with said tongue plate portion and in abutting contact with said rear face of said base portion of said fulcrum plate, a connecting member passing through said perforations and rigidly connected to the end step of larger height, the sum of the lengths of the arms and the outer legs is greater than the length of said central leg and tongue plate portion whereby said fulcrum plate swingably supports said outer legs always in a curved compression position and said central leg is normally maintained in a curved tension position, a current breaking lever pivotally mounted in said casing, a rigid linking member eccentrically connected to said current breaking lever and to said central leg adjacent said tongue plate portion so that upon exerting a pull on said linking member said central leg will be curved in the same direction as said pair of outer legs, thereby separating said movable contact from said fixed contact, and upon exerting a push on said linking member in opposite direction, said central leg will be curved in opposite direction of said curve of said outer legs thereby pressing said movable contact onto said fixed contact.

2. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixed contact is connected to a metal bushing passing through said base portion of smaller height to the outside, and said connecting member is a screw connected to a hollow tubular metal member mounted in said base portion of larger height and passing therethrough to the outside.

3. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linking member is a U-shaped member having a pair of arms and said central leg comprises adjacent said tongue plate portion an upstanding ear including a perforation in which enters one arm of said U-shaped linking member and said current breaking lever comprises a pair of stud shafts projecting out of said lever and pivotally located in said casing, a perforation in said lever spaced apart from said stud shafts and above said upstanding ear, said other arm of said U-shaped linking member entering said blind perforation.

i ab.

4. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 3, wherein said casing comprises an upper edge, a pair of notches arranged in the middle portion of said upper edge, said stud shafts being journalled in said notches, a parallelepipedic side opening in said casing adjacent one of said notches and in front of said U-shaped linking member enabling the access thereto, and a side closure member adapted to close said parallelepipedic side open- 5. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 4, wherein said casing defining said parailelepipedic side opening includes at a corresponding base portion a slot, said side closure member including a lower tongue, a cross bar of larger width than said parallelepipedic side opening and an upper tongue so that upon inserting said lower tongue into said slot said cross bar avoids the penetration of said side closure member into said casing and said upper tongue projecting above said upper edge of said casing, a pair of cars integral with said casing and each having a bore, a supporting plate including a central opening of substantially equal size of that of said casing, a notch ending in said central opening of complementary size to said upper tongue so that upon mounting said cover plate on said upper edge of said casing said upper tongue entering said notch and means for linking said cover plate to said ears.

6. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 5, wherein said supporting plate defines a pair of embossed perforated portions outside said central opening, said ears each have a bore with an upper pit, each of said embossed perforated portions entering one of said pits and a screw for each perforation linking said supporting plate to said switch casing.

7. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of said central leg is substantially equal to the sum of the width of said outer legs.

8. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein a supplemental plate of larger length than said tongue plate portion is located below said tongue plate portion on said end step of larger height.

9. A fast current breaker switch comprising a casing having a fixed contact terminal, a resilient good electricity conductive metal plate having a base portion, a first leg projecting from said base portion and having a free end, a second leg substantially parallel to said first leg and likewise projecting from said base portion, a movable contact terminal mounted on said base portion, said second leg ending in a tongue plate portion, a rigid fulcrum plate, said rigid fulcrum plate and said tongue plate portion being rigidly connected to said casing, said free end portion of said first leg being swingably supported by said fulcrum plate, the length of said second leg being such that said first leg is constantly maintained in a curved compression position and said second leg is normally maintained in a curved tension position, said base portion being movatble from a first position wherein said second leg is curved in a first direction to a second position wherein said second leg is curved in a second direction, the curvature of said second leg maintaining the base portion in either of its two positions, said movable contact contacting said fixed contact in one of said positions but not in the other of said positions, means to selectively change the direction of curvature of said second leg to move said base portion from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said means for changing the direction of curvature comprising a current breaking lever pivotally mounted in said casing, a rigid linking member eccentrically connected to said current breaking lever and to said second leg adjacent said tongue plate portion so that pivotal movement of said current breaking lever in one direction will exert a pull on said linking member and a movement of said current breaking lever in the opposite direction will exert a push on said linking member, the pull on said linking member causing said second leg to be curved in one direction and the push on said linking member causing said second leg to be curved in the opposite direction.

10. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 9 wherein said linking member is a U-shaped member having a pair of arms, said second leg having mounted thereon adjacent said tongue plate an upstanding ear having therein a perforation in which is positioned one arm of said U-shaped linking member, said current breaking lever including a pair of stud shafts projecting out of said lever and pivotally located in said casing, said current breaking lever having a perforation therein spaced apart fnom said stud shafts and positioned above said upstanding ear, said other arm of said U-shaped linking member being positioned in said perforation in said lever.

11. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 10 wherein said casing comprises an upper edge having a pair of notches in the middle portion thereof, said stud shafts being journaled in said notches, said casing having a parallelepipedic side opening adjacent one of said notches and in front of said U-shaped member to provide access to said U-shaped member, and a side closure member for closing said side opening.

12. A current breaker switch comprising a casing having a fixed contact terminal, movable means having thereon a movable contact terminal, said movable means being movable from a first position wherein said movable contact terminal contacts said fixed contact terminal to a second position wherein said movable contact terminal does not contact said fixed contact terminal, and means for moving said movable means from said first position to said second position including a current breaking lever pivotally mounted in said casing, said lever having a perforation therein, said movable means having a perforation therein, a rigid U-shaped linking member having a pair of arms, one of said arms being seated in each of said perforations to connect said movable means and said lever, said casing having a side access opening therein with said perforations facing said side access opening whereby the arms of said linking member can be inserted into or removed from said perforations, and a side closure member for closing said side access opening.

13. A fast current breaker switch as claimed in claim 12 wherein said casing comprises an upper edge having a pair of notches therein and said current breaking lever includes a pair of stud shafts projecting out of said lever and pivotally journaled in said notches, said perforation in said lever being spaced apart from said stud shafts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,255,330 Platz Sept. 9, 1941 2,351,181 Bangasser June 13, 1944 2,405,142 Holt Aug. 6, 1946 2,492,101 Landmeier Dec. 20, 1949 2,685,007 Fischer July 27, 1954 

1. A FAST CURRENT BREAKER SWITCH, COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A BASE PORTION INCLUDING A CENTRAL PORTION AND A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY ARRANGED END STEPS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT WITH REGARD TO SAID CENTRAL PORTION, SAID END STEP OF SMALLER HEIGHT WITH REGARD TO SAID CENTRAL PORTION SUPPORTING A FIXED CONTACT, A RESILIENT GOOD ELECTRICITY CONDUCTIVE METAL PLATE HAVING A BASE PORTION, A PAIR OF OUTER LEGS PROJECTING FROM SAID BASE PORTION AND EACH HAVING A FREE END PORTION, A CENTRAL LEG LIKEWISE PROJECTING FROM SAID BASE PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID PAIR OF OUTER LEGS, A MOVABLE CONTACT TERMINAL MOUNTED ON SAID BASE PORTION AND FACING SAID FIXED CONTACT, A RIGID FULCRUM PLATE COMPRISING A BASE PORTION INCLUDING A REAR FACE, AND A PAIR OF ARMS PARALLELY PROJECTING FROM SAID BASE PORTION AND EACH ENDING IN A MOUTH PORTION, SAID FREE END PORTIONS OF SAID OUTER LEGS BEING FULCRUMED IN SAID MOUTH PORTIONS, SAID BASE PORTION OF SAID FULCRUM PLATE DEFINING A PERFORATION, SAID CENTRAL LEG ENDING IN A TONGUE PLATE PORTION DEFINING A PERFORATION COAXIAL WITH SAID PERFORATION OF SAID FULCRUM PLATE, A PAIR OF UPSTANDING RETAINER EARS INTEGRAL WITH SAID TONGUE PLATE PORTION AND IN ABUTTING CONTACT WITH SAID REAR FACE OF SAID BASE PORTION OF SAID FULCRUM PLATE, A CONNECTING MEMBER PASSING THROUGH SAID PERFORATIONS AND RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE END STEP OF LARGER HEIGHT, THE SUM OF THE LENGTHS OF THE ARMS AND THE OUTER LEGS IS GREATER THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID CENTRAL LEG AND TONGUE PLATE PORTION WHEREBY SAID FULCRUM PLATE SWINGABLY SUPPORTS SAID OUTER LEGS ALWAYS IN A CURVED COMPRESSION POSITION AND SAID CENTRAL LEG IS NORMALLY MAINTAINED IN A CURVED TENSION POSITION, A CURRENT BREAKING LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING, A RIGID LINKING MEMBER ECCENTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID CURRENT BREAKING LEVER AND TO SAID CENTRAL LEG ADJACENT SAID TONGUE PLATE PORTION SO THAT UPON EXERTING A PULL ON SAID LINKING MEMBER SAID CENTRAL LEG WILL BE CURVED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS SAID PAIR OF OUTER LEGS, THEREBY SEPARATING SAID MOVABLE CONTACT FROM SAID FIXED CONTACT, AND UPON EXERTING A PUSH ON SAID LINKING MEMBER IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAID CENTRAL LEG WILL BE CURVED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF SAID CURVE OF SAID OUTER LEGS THEREBY PRESSING SAID MOVABLE CONTACT ONTO SAID FIXED CONTACT. 